Stop leak composition

ABSTRACT

A COMPOSITION FOR SEALING SMALL LEAKS IN METAL, INCLUDING ENGINE BLOCKS AND THE LIKE, CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF FROM ABOUT FIVE TO ABOUT SIX PARTS BY VOLUME OF FLAX MEAL, TO ONE PART BY VOLUME OF A MIXTURE WHICH CONTAINS THREE PARTS BY VOLUME OF GRAPHITE TO TWO PARTS BY VOLUME OF ALUMINUM POWDER.

United States Patent 3,692,549 STOP LEAK COMPOSITION Thomas E. Martin, 414 Brookside Terrace, Oklahoma City, Okla. 73137 No Drawing. Filed Feb. 25, 1971, Ser. No. 118,953 lint. Cl. C09k 3/10, 3/12 US. Cl. 10533 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A composition for sealing small leaks in metal, including engine blocks and the like, consisting essentially of from about five to about six parts by volume of flax meal, to one part by volume of a mixture which contains three parts by volume of graphite to two parts by volume of aluminum powder.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This invention relates to a composition of matter which may be added to Water to effectively stop or seal leaks in a metal housing or container in which the water is located.

Brief description of the prior art BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF PRESENT INVENTION The present invention comprises a stop leak composition for sealing or blocking small leaks in engine blocks or the like, and the composition further constitutes a dual purpose composition in that it may be added to lubricants and greases used in engine transmission systems for reducing noise and protectively coating moving parts and head gaskets. The composition has rust inhibiting and lubricating properties which make it of value in environments where a liquid in which the composition is suspended is circulated.

Broadly described, the composition of the present invention includes about five to six parts by volume of flax meal, and about one part by volume of a mixture of powdered graphite and powdered aluminum. In this mixture there are three parts by volume of graphite to two parts by volume of aluminum. In terms of weight percentages of the several major ingredients of the composition, the composition contains from about 62 weight percent to about 75 weight percent of the flax meal, about 12 weight percent to about 20 Weight percent of powdered graphite, and from about weight percent to about 17 weight percent of powdered aluminum. The particle size of the particles in the composition is less than about 0.1 inch, and preferably is less than about 0.05 inch. In addition to the described major components, the composition may also beneficially include small amounts of iron, magnesium and calcium and trace amounts of manganese and copper. The flax meal constituting the major component of the composition preferably contains from about 30 to about 40 weight percent of protein, with about 33 to about 36 weight percent being the most preferred protein level in the flax meal.

3,692,549 Patented Sept. 19, 1972 The composition of the invention is used by adding it to a liquid circulating within the container or housing which is susceptible to leak development, and which is to be protected by the sealing capabilities of the composition. In a typical usage for stopping leaks which might occur in an engine block or head gasket, from about 10 to about 15 grams of the composition are added to the 18 to 20 quarts of water used in the cooling system of a typical automobile. The amount of the composition which is added to the water may be increased substantially Where multiple leaks are to be sealed, with up to 2 to 2 /2 times the normal quantity being employed in such eventualities.

The fine, intimately mixed particles of the stop leak composition of the invention are suspended in the coolant liquid (or in a lubricant where the composition is used for a noise reduction and protective coating function in standard transmission systems), and the composition has been found to be very effective for stopping relatively small leaks of the size commonly referred to as pin-hole leaks, and larger leaks up to the size of an ordinary pencil lead. Relatively large leaks are not stopped or sealed by the composition of the invention, since the mechanism by which sealing is accomplished with the composition of the invention is one in which a coating or film is formed across the leak aperture to effectively block the egress of water through the aperture. The stop leak composition of the invention is most effective in stopping small water pump leaks and heater core leaks, and is effective in preventing the occurrence of damaging electrolysis in diesel engines.

An object of the invention is to provide a useful multipurpose composition which can be added to the cooling systems of automobiles, or to the transmission lubricant thereof, for stopping leaks in the engine block or head gasket of the automobile, or for reducing noise and protectively coating moving parts subjected to contact with the composition.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the reading of the following detailed description of the invention.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION The major component of the composition of the present invention is linseed meal. This material is also known as flax meal and is made by grinding compacted or caked flax seed after the linseed oil has been expressed therefrom. The linseed meal which is preferably utilized in the composition of the invention contains between about 30 and about 40 weight percent protein, with from about 33 to about 36 Weight percent protein being the most suitable. A suitable meal may be obtained from the Minnesota Linseed Oil Company of Minneapolis, Minn. The linseed meal is in the form of fine, dry particles. However, the linseed meal, prior to inclusion in the composition of the invention, is screened so that the particle size does not exceed 0.1 inch diameter. The linseed meal will typically contain from about 10 to about 15 weight percent moisture, from about 8 to about 12 weight percent fiber, and about 0.5 weight percent fat.

The second major ingredient utilized in the composition of the invention is powdered graphite which is of a particle size such that at least percent by weight of the graphite will pass through a 325 mesh screen, and preferably weight percent of the graphite will pass through a 325 mesh screen. A typical commercially available material which can be employed is graphite No. 1167 marketed by the Joseph Dixon Crucible Graphite Company of Jersey City, N]. This is a synthetic graphite material which contains 98 weight percent graphitic carbon and about 2 weight percent inert impurity.

The third major ingredient employed in the composition of the invention is finely powdered aluminum metal.

Aluminum powder having a particle size such that less than weight percent will be retained on a 100 mesh sieve, and 95 weight percent will pass through a 325 mesh sieve is preferred. It is further preferred that the aluminum powder employed have a specific gravity of from about 2.35 to about 2.65, and most preferably about 2.55. The powder has an average minimum leafing value such that one gram of the powder will cover 9,000 square centimeters and a maximum leafing value such that one gram of the powder will cover about 12,000 square centimeters. A commercially available aluminum powder which is suitable for use in the invention is that which is sold under the trade name Albrom by the Aluminum Company of America, Pittsburgh, Pa. This product is referred to in the trade as a standard varnish powder, and is relatively high purity aluminum powder containing free aluminum metal in excess of about 96 Weight percent.

In addition to the major components of the stop leak composition of the present invention, as such major components have been described above, the composition may also include relatively small amounts of various materials. Thus, the composition may include from about 1,000 parts per million to about 6,000 parts per million of iron present as a compatible iron compound, such as ferric oxide, or even as powdered cast iron. The composition can also beneficially include from about 1,000 to about 8,000 parts per million of a calcium compound, such as calcium oxide or calcium carbonate. Silicon may be present in an amount of from about 1,000 to about 7,000 parts per million as sodium silicate or silicon dioxide. Finally, the composition may include a magnesium compound present in an amount sufficient to provide from about 1,000 parts per million to about 7,000 parts per million magnesium.

In preparing the composition of the invention, the major components described, and any minor components which it may be desired to include, are thoroughly mixed in the dry state so as to provide a homogeneous blend of the components. A typical batch of the stop leak composition is prepared by thoroughly mixing 200 pounds of the linseed meal with three gallons of the powdered graphite and two gallons of the powdered aluminum.

In usage, the stop leak composition is added in relatively small quantities to the liquid which is to function as the carrier of the composition, and which is to be prevented from leaking through small leaks in a confining metal structure in which the liquid is circulated. Although, the amount of the stop leak composition which is added to the liquid may be varied over a wide range, a typical usage Will include the addition of from about grams to about grams of the composition to the 18 or 20 quarts of water used in the cooling system of a typical automobile. It may be stated that, in general, where the composition is to be used for noise suppression and for the protective coating of surfaces, a substantially larger amount of the composition will be used in the carrier liquid. It is important that the liquid into which the composition is introduced be circulated, or at least agitated, in normal usage of the liquid in the confining metallic housing or container in which it is employed, since the composition is insoluble in most of the liquids in which it will be used, but is easily maintained in suspension as a result of the relatively fine particle size of the particles of the composition.

The composition of the invention has been found to be highly effective in quickly stopping or sealing leaks of the types frequently encountered in head gaskets and engine blocks, and is also very elfective as a noise suppressor when introduced into standard transmission systems of automobiles. Although certain preferred embodiments of the invention have been herein described in order to illustrate the principles upon which the invention rests, it will be understood that various changes and innovations in the described components, and in the Weight ratios in which they are blended, can be effected without departure from these principles. Changes and innovations of this type are therefore deemed to be circumscribed by the spirit and scope of the invention except as the same may be necessarily limited by the appended claims or reasonable equivalents thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A stop leak composition for stopping leakage of a liquid in which the composition is suspended through a hole in a metallic confining structure in which the liquid is circulated, the composition consisting essentially of from about '62 weight percent to about weight percent of dry, particulate linseed meal having a particle size diameter not exceeding about 0.1 inch; from about 12 weight percent to about 20 weight percent of particulate, synthetic graphite in which about weight percent of the particles have a diameter not exceeding about 0.002 inch, and from about 10 weight percent to about 17 weight percent of powdered aluminum metal in which about 95 weight percent of the particles have a diameter not exceeding about 0.006 inch, said aluminum powder having a leafing value such that one gram of the aluminum powder will cover at least 9000 square centimeters of a planar surface.

2. A stop leak composition as defined in claim 1 wherein said composition further includes from about 1000 to 7000 parts per million of silicon present in a silicon containing compound, from about 1000 to about 8000 parts per million calcium present as a calcium compound, from about 1000 to about 6000 parts per million iron present as an iron compound, and from about 1000 to about 7000 parts per million magnesium present as a magnesium compound.

3. A stop leak composition as defined in claim 1 wherein said graphite has a specific gravity of from about 2.1 to about 2.3, and said aluminum has a specific gravity of from about 2.3 to about 2.7.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,377,275 5/1921 Ray l0633 1,648,866 11/1927 Ray l0633 1,722,437 7/ 1929 Meneray l06--33 1,910,641 5/1933 Seligcr l0633 JOAN B. EVANS, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 252-72 

